The way to a man's heart goes through his stomach. Lovers live on air and love. Yes, and also the grief bacon's (unfortunately) not only proverbial. It can not be denied: Our state of mind clearly influences our hunger. But what exactly is behind it: why do lovers have so little appetite - and why does frustration so often "frustration attacks"? Is not unfair: Who is in love and happy, is also still off and possibly gets the dream figure. And who is sad? Feasts on in addition to even grief bacon. There are very solid hormonal reasons.

Positive feelings

Because being in love is not just a feeling - it releases a highly effective hormone cocktail that completely disrupts all physiological processes in the body. Increased adrenaline rush put lovers in high excitement, testosterone increases the desire. Above all, the level of the activity hormone dopamine in the body increases, while conversely serotonin, the hormone of balance, becomes less. The result: upbeat mood, euphoric high-altitude flights and serious mood changes between sky-high rejoicing and distressed to death. Not only the need for sleep decreases, the appetite is less. This is mainly due to the hormone phenylethylamine (PEA), which not only cares for heart palpitations and butterflies in the stomach, but also acts like an emotional appetite suppressant: this "substance" is not only found by lovers in the blood, but also in chocolate, Diet drinks and appetite suppressants ...

Negative feelings

Which brings us almost to grief ... Also for negative moods: They affect metabolism and hormones, which in turn also control the "hunger signals" in the brain. Studies have shown that overweight in adults - especially women - is often associated with depression, which often begins in adolescence.

Increased stress can also extremely disrupt the metabolic processes in the body. Under tension, the body produces z. For example, the adrenal hormone cortisol increases - which in turn stimulates the appetite. And who does not know that: a quick grasp to the chocolate bar, to "calm down" again. Because sugar boosts the production of serotonin in the blood. Which negative emotional mood is also behind it: You feed yourself the grief in the truest sense of the word gradually. "And often resorted to 'reward pattern' back, which one already learned as a child, " explains psychologist Frank Meiners of the DAK.

"It's an attempt to get happiness and satisfaction over the food." The experience does not work - the result is: Kummerspeck. No matter if sweets, chips or burgers: The most popular edible "consolation patches" have it also caloric in itself. Frustration eaters should learn to pay more attention to all the signals of their body in a better and timely manner - and react differently to them than through eating. How about a half hour jogging, for example. It consumes almost 500 calories - almost as much as lovers in love play.

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